Max Verstappen has become the subject of fresh controversy after unusual claims surfaced online following the Nürburgring 24 Hours race, but his team-mate has now firmly rejected the accusations.
The reigning Formula 1 champion competed for Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing during last weekend’s famous endurance event at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Verstappen shared the car with Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon, and Dani Juncadella, with the team appearing on course for victory for much of the race.
Throughout the event, the Mercedes-AMG entry was one of the standout performers on the grid. Together with the Winward Racing cars, Verstappen Racing controlled the pace while several major rivals suffered setbacks across the demanding 24-hour battle.
Teams such as Haupt Racing Team, KCMG, Manthey, and Scherer Sport PHX all encountered serious problems that ended their hopes of competing for the win. The Walkenhorst Aston Martin squad looked capable of challenging the leading AMG cars at one stage, but their progress faded after a costly tyre gamble during wet conditions.
As the race entered its final hours, Verstappen Racing remained in a strong position before disaster struck. A series of technical problems hit the car late in the event, with a broken driveshaft eventually ending the team’s hopes of securing victory.
After the race, speculation quickly spread across social media suggesting Verstappen’s aggressive driving style may have contributed to the mechanical issues. Some critics claimed the Dutch driver may have pushed the car too hard during the early stages of the race, potentially affecting its reliability later on.
One social media user, Juan Cruz Alvarez, suggested endurance racing is more about preserving machinery than gaining small advantages early in the contest. He argued that teams risking reliability for extra pace often suffer consequences during the closing stages.
The comments triggered debate among fans, with some linking the theory to Verstappen’s reputation for driving aggressively in Formula 1.
However, Dani Juncadella quickly shut down the speculation. The Spanish driver strongly denied that Verstappen’s approach had anything to do with the team’s mechanical failure.
Juncadella expressed frustration at the online rumours, saying it was incredible to see the conclusions people were drawing from the result. He explained that modern GT3 cars are built to handle extreme conditions and can run flat-out for more than 30 hours without issue.
He also revealed that the team had already been instructed several hours before the finish to avoid unnecessary risks because their lead over competitors was not large enough to relax completely.
In the end, Team Ravenol took victory thanks to a consistent performance from Maro Engel, Maxime Martin, Fabian Schiller, and Luca Stolz after Verstappen Racing’s late-race collapse.
Despite missing out on the win, Verstappen’s performance once again highlighted his adaptability outside Formula 1, while Juncadella’s response appears to have ended the growing rumours surrounding the dramatic Nürburgring defeat.
